module specification

This module provides you with the opportunity to showcase your professional skills in the execution of law-related tasks and experiential learning. When executing legal tasks, successful practitioners are able critically to evaluate law-related matters from an elevated perspective and are able to draw upon a varied knowledge base to assist in the development of strategy, new ideas, recommendations and solutions that add value to their organisation. Furthermore, successful legal practitioners draw upon a wide range of knowledge to help shape their own behaviour, character and identity. By critically reflecting on their experiences in work, they are able to develop an acute awareness of their own capabilities and skills, and have the ability to understand how they personally add value to an organisation. It is the application of knowledge and utilisation of professional skills that is explored in this module.

The first week of the year long programme will be dedicated to the discussion of various aspects of the work placement. This will lead to the production of a substantial report that helps to investigates specific legal issues within an organisation. This is a significant independent project, where you determine the subjects to be investigated and the methodology to be followed. Your project is an ideal opportunity to seek out and draw upon a wide range of knowledge, and for you to demonstrate how this underpins any final conclusions and recommendations. Your project will help you demonstrate your ability to think and act independently when executing a complex and challenging task.

The remaining period is dedicated to experiential learning in a work placement or project with an employer, which you will have secured during your time on programme. This practical experience will allow you to explore and test your own professional competence in a specific working environment. You will maintain a Professional Development portfolio of your experiences and will, ultimately, be able to articulate your understanding of how you personally add value in a professional legal context. Again, you will be expected to draw on a wide range of knowledge to help evaluate and explain your experiences.

Module Aims

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• carry-out an in-depth project where you can integrate the legal knowledge and professional skills you have gained throughout your programme;
• identify and utilise different types of legal knowledge to influence your thinking or action;
• develop robust legal research skills and an ability to formulate new ideas and solutions through the analysis of primary and/or secondary data;
• explore your own skills, character and identity within a professional environment and identify key attributes that will aid long-term success in your chosen career field;
• develop good reflective practice, ensuring models and concepts can be used effectively in the critical evaluation of your performance; and
• integrate knowledge, experience and reflective practice to continually develop your professional skills and competence.

None

Preferably, students who are taking this route will need to demonstrate that they have relevant work experience. They will be supported by the university when searching for employment.

The syllabus for the Experiential Learning Project module will focus on preparing students to be proficient in their future career and able to meet the module requirements. The students will be given professional guidance through work-related activities which they will apply on their work placement. Using their critical analysis skills, the students will be able to reflect on the experience and practice they have gained.

Students gain the following experience through the module:

• Report writing – during the first phase of the module, the students will have the opportunity to learn how to write evidence-based report that reflects on the experience gained from the work-placement (LO1, LO2),
• Practical management experience – the students will gain practical experience not only on how to self-manage but also managing resources (LO1, LO2, LO6),
• Critical analysis and performance evaluation – the students gain practical experience through critically evaluating the organisational performance relating to legal issues using various models (LO3),
• Reflective practice – using report writing skills, the students are able to reflect on the current practice, own experience and recommend improvement options (LO4, LO5)
• Networking opportunities – during the work placement period, the students will develop strong network with employers and employees which will enhance their opportunity to graduate employment (LO1-6).

This is a practice and development module with the majority of the time invested with one or more organisations.

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to do the following:

1. Conduct independent legal research and organise, assemble and synthesise large amounts of material in order to support a sustained critical discussion of issues relating to legal practice.
2. Demonstrate the different approaches to legal issues in practice, in the context of your chosen area to be investigated, with the use of appropriate evidence-based information and theory.
3. Demonstrate the ability critically to evaluate organisational performance in relation to legal issues.
4. Utilise reflective practice techniques to critique your performance and identify improvements.
5. Articulate the relevance of your experiential learning to your professional development.

This module is assessed through the submission of a portfolio. The portfolio is a collection of work that shows how you have achieved the intended learning outcomes of the module and the total word count should not exceed 10,000 words. Your portfolio will have five compulsory components as shown below.

1. Project Report (40% of module grade)

Word count: 4,000 words (excluding title, bibliography, reference and appendices)

Your report should include the rationale for the research, the legal context, methodology, findings, analysis, conclusions and recommendations. The Project Report should clearly outline the topic under investigation and the relevance to the context. You are expected to draw upon a wide range of legal and practical knowledge to inform your approach and to justify or critique your final conclusions and recommendations.

2. Evidence of collected data (5% of module grade)

You will need to submit evidence (collected data) with your Project Report. The submission needs to be electronically stored depending on the nature of the data (e.g., a document or pdf file with interview transcripts or observation notes, excel file with questionnaire data or a collection of secondary data). You should ensure that how you have analysed and interpreted this data is clearly presented.

3. Evidence of Professional Development (30% of module grade)

Word count: 3,000 words

Your programme, Project Report, work experience and other professional development opportunities are key to helping you consolidate your skills and knowledge. This needs to be evidenced through a detailed account of the critical events and experiences you navigated and learned from. Using a range of events from your academic and professional experiences, you are expected to articulate several occasions when you have brought skills and knowledge together effectively to enhance your performance as a professional practitioner.

The Evidence of Professional Development should be an electronic resource, preferably maintained via an e-portfolio or blog.

4. Practice Report and Reflection (20% of module grade)

Word count: 2,500 words (excluding title, bibliography, reference and appendices)

This is a critical analysis of the value you have added through both the execution of your project and your professional experience. Your assessment should strike a balance between the learning events you successfully accomplished and those your found more challenging.  Your report should clearly detail what you would do differently as a result of your key learnings.

5. Recorded Video Presentation (5% of module grade)

You will be required to prepare a short video presentation (3-5 mins) that provides a personal and honest account of how successful you were in applying knowledge, skills and reflective practice in different contexts. You will be directed to articulate the relevance the experience gained within this module has to your future career aspirations and identify any future development needs.

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